Saxophone player Clyde meets a woman named Flowers, and teaches her to dance. He later discovers that gangster boss "Blackjack" is also in love with her. "Blackjack" is also battling gang boss Mike Luego in a violent turf war.
Olive Borden
as Flowers
Jack Pickford
as Clyde Baxter
Lorin Raker
as Reporter
Jack McKee
Mabel Albertson
Eddie Gribbon
as Blackjack
Walter Long
as Mike Luego
Frank Chew
as Wong
Prosecutor Olsen's lover, the singer-songwriter Betsy, leaves him for a new passion. And he, speaking in court as a prosecutor, remains deaf to the dictates of feelings, a ruthless servant of the harsh Law. Some time later, Betsy kills her new lover in a fit of jealousy; Olsen, who retained his feelings, nevertheless becomes her accuser at the trial. He seeks the condemnation of Betsy, but comes to the realization that he lived unrighteously, allowing himself to be judged, becoming a servant of Themis. Exit in the classic tradition of the great mute: Olsen commits suicide.
Dimples uses her social tact and cleverness to navigate a diplomatic or high-society situation.
Captain "Wolf" Larsen, the absolute master of a seal schooner, is a mystic and philosopher, though he rules his men with an iron hand. On a ferry going from San Francisco to Oakland, Van Weyden, a critic, and Maud Brewster, a novelist, meet in masquerade costumes and are forced overboard when their boat collides with a steamer. Humphrey, then Maud, are picked up by Larsen's crew. Because of her costume, Maud is taken for a boy and placed in the custody of Mugridge, the cook, who attempts to attack her upon discovering her identity. Larsen takes her under his protection and decides to marry her; but as the ceremony begins, the crew mutinies, and Larsen is stricken with blindness as he faces the rebels. The ship is set afire, and though Humphrey and Maud are rescued by another steamer, Larsen, deserted by his crew, refuses to quit his ship and is enveloped in flames.
Velu Naicker, who witnesses the brutal murder of his father, kills a corrupt policeman and escapes to Mumbai, only to become a gangster.
An uneducated young girl becomes suddenly wealthy and hires the disinherited son of an upper-class family to tutor her in the ways of society.
In 1970s London, Scotland Yard orchestrates the downfall of mob boss Vic Dakin after he crosses the line by blackmailing Members of Parliament.
Corinne d'Alys (Daniels) achieves sudden success on the stage and among her many admirers is noted artist Robert Townsend (Menjou). Robert is married to Elsa (Williams), the sister of John Elliott (Stone), the producer responsible for Corinne's rise to fame. The young woman's head is turned by the praise she receives and, despite John's warning against Robert, she permits the latter to paint her portrait and pay her a good deal of attention. John himself loves Corinne and believes that wisdom will come to her with time.
A pair of bodyguards for a politician find their positions under threat when their employer is implicated in a scandal. Fleeing to Mumbai they find work with a gangster, but also find that the police are onto them.
A reluctant loan shark is forced into an underground, bare knuckle boxing tournament after he and his partner screw up a deal for their boss. On top of his dangerous work life, he must also learn to cope with his broken family.
Sexually abused as a young girl, Kate "Ma" Barker grows into a violent and powerful woman by the 1930s. She lovingly dominates her grown sons and grooms them into a pack of tough crooks. The boys include the cruel Herman, who still shares a bed with Ma; Fred, an ex-con who fell in love with a fellow prisoner; and Lloyd, who gets high on whatever's handy. Together they form a deadly, bizarre family of Depression-era bandits.
The story of a group of friends, all around 30, who live in the Le Panier district of Marseille, France. It's not a bad life, made up of slightly shady dealings, nights out, sun and just hanging out. But the neighborhood is an inescapable presence. Over a period of a few summer days, their carefree lives will plunge into a predictable tragedy.
London gangster Christian has a plan to kill off the opposition, but things get messy when a witness survives.
A tough-as-nails burglary crew from the streets, a Cuban cartel, heavy into voodoo, ruthless Albanian gangsters, and a blood diamond deal that erupts into all out violence. This throws the criminal underworld into chaos. Double-crosses and brazen gangland executions entwine everyone in a street war that plays out to an explosive ending.
Drusilla Ives, a young Quaker girl living on an isolated island, leaves to become the servant of the spendthrift Duke of Guisenberry in London, who is the Lord of her village. She finds that she is attracted to the bustling city's night life, and when the duke discovers that she is a fine dancer, he helps her turn professional. In short order she becomes known as Diana Valrose, the city's favorite dancer. Unfortunately, her strict father and her Quaker fiancee, John Christison, back on the island find out about her newfound fame and career and strongly disapprove--her father places a curse on her and her boyfriend marries her sister Faith. Complications ensue.
Kariya, a gangster falls for a rich dancer Maya, but hesitant to express his love due to his criminal history. Meanwhile his enemies in the echelons of underworld conspire to have him murdered.
Dual Action is a short story about a dying gangster, confronted by two mysterious figures in his final moments. It's sort of a Reservoir Dogs meets Christmas Carol type of story, where the main character is forced to face his own mortality and define the meaning of life. He's tormented by guilt and repentance and must come to term with who he really is. It's a fun twist on the gangster genre.
